Ministry leaders reveal what keeps them coming back for more

I recently asked the parish ministry leaders the top reason for being involved at SJN that keeps them coming back for more, and their responses have been beautiful!  What a blessed parish to have such humble, loving servant leaders.

• I have never felt so loved as I do in the St. John Neumann community. I thought my world had ended in 1997 when my husband died suddenly; however, this faith community of St. John Neumann has given me life by loving and accepting me in my time of need. The Christ Renews His Parish Retreat Program was just the beginning, followed by many and varied spiritual walks, which ultimately led me to the Lay Missionaries of Charity. Thank you, God, for this St. John Neumann Faith Community.  Jo Creath, Lay Missionaries of Charity
• Two things come to mind for me -- First, the wonderful community that my family is now a part of at St. John Neumann, largely because of the Christ Renews His Parish Retreat Program.  It is always wonderful to be at Mass and recognize a dozen or more CRHP brothers!  Also, my whole family loves the music at 5:30 p.m. Sunday mass, and there's no better way to worship than sitting in the front and singing loudly!  Steve Zika, Christ Renews His Parish Retreat Program
• I am so thankful to be part of the loving and faithful community here.  There is a great opportunity for me to grow personally, and I feel privileged to be part of the formation of our youth!  Barbie Schaefer, Challenge
• It's very encouraging to see how many individuals, families, young people step up (with enthusiasm) to help the less fortunate in Austin and other parts of the world. This willingness to help pulls us closer together to make a true community.  Anna Marie Phelps, SVDP
• When I walk into daily Mass at 8:45 in the morning and see a dozen high school teenagers at Mass, rather than sleeping in, I can't help but to come back for more! Who wouldn't when God is moving so powerfully in this community?  Andrew Schuelke, Youth Ministry
• I am amazed at our youth. How they are always eager to learn, and take what they have learned home. That's what has made me love SJN so much.  Rachel Vaughn, Religious Education and Godly Play
• I am greatly inspired by the generosity and caring of our SJN parishioners and their willingness to support schoolchildren of a different culture on the other side of the world in the communities that we serve. I am deeply inspired also by the open hearts, love and caring of the children and teens of our community. For several years, SJN children and youth have worked with us to collect school supplies and to create beautiful messages of peace and friendship through art to send to the students at the schools we support. We are continuously awed by the enthusiasm, love and creativity that our SJN youth pour into their artwork and cards and by the genuine caring that they express for children they will never meet on the other side of the world. Witnessing this loving and peaceful connection between our children and the children we serve has been a joy to the volunteers of our ministry.  Chris Hamilton, ASP
• From the first mass at Valley View with Fr. Vaughn to today with Fr. Bud, I have made SJN my family, my home.  Diane Gele, Christian Medical Missions
• I once saw a bumper sticker that said "Social Justice begins in the Womb." When Anna Steinbauer one Sunday asked for SJN parishioners to "get out of the pews" and join the SJN Culture of Life Committee and support Life issues -- This bumper sticker came to mind. We must all support and pray for greater respect and justice for ALL human life from conception till natural death, especially for those who have no voice.  Mary Saniuk, Culture of Life
• Always the warm, loving community spirit and wonderful friends that I share my faith with at SJN keep me coming back for more and this has been true for more than 25 years! I consider SJN a second home.  Pat Flathouse, Bereavement Committee, Older Women’s Legacy
• I am continually awed at our parishioners. So many good role models involved in different ministries at our church and in our community. Sandra Farrell, Flower Guild
• SJN is the first church where I have been a member and have felt a true sense of community.  Being involved helps me foster that sense of community and feel even more connected to my parish.  Cirenia Terrazas, Gift Shop Committee

The Care Communities ministers to AIDS, cancer patients

The Care Communities, a Partner Ministry of SJN, provides practical and compassionate support, through volunteer Care Teams, for people living with serious illnesses, such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. Listen to Outreach Coordinator Roger Temme as he introduces the organization's ministry to you and invites you to learn more! If you find you do want more information after the video, please contact me.

Tips for volunteering as a family

Since family is our most important ministry, we don't want you to leave them at home while you spend time volunteering at church.  Why not involve them from time to time and volunteer as a family?  Spend quality time together while you all help to build God's Kingdom!

Here is a compilation of tips from different sources.  Feel free to add any of your own in the comments section!

• Planning fun and successful family activities shouldn't be a chore for busy parents.  Most just require a little fore thought and a little planning to be successful.  So don't get bogged down in the details or overwhelmed with the planning.  The first thing to spoil family activities is a stressed parent, so go slow and ease into your routine. Families With Purpose, LLC
• Be flexible.  Sometimes family activities don't go as planned.  The baby is tired, the car had a flat tire or it rained when it was supposed to be sunny and hot. Families With Purpose, LLC
• Make sure the family activity is something everyone will enjoy or at least tolerate.  Talk over the family activities ahead of time and get everyone's input.  This will help prevent resistance later on.
• Schedule your family activities on the family calendar.  Plan out for a month when the family will be together and schedule the family activities accordingly. Families With Purpose, LLC
• Make them a priority.  Kids know when parents don't follow through with their promises and are often more hurt than they are willing to let us know.  Take the time for the family activities.  Your kids will thank you for those little things later. Families With Purpose, LLC
• Choose hands-on projects that offer children an opportunity to feel ownership in the giving process.  If Mom buys a toy and Joey drops it in the box at school, the giving ownership is mostly Mom's. But if Joey chooses the gift, wraps it and perhaps even makes a card to go with it, the giving ownership is mostly Joey's.  FamilyCares
• Ensure success by using projects that are simple and short-term.  Complicated projects that require long-term commitment often run short on enthusiasm with children. Choose projects that require skills your child is capable of managing and that can be accomplished in a short period of time.  FamilyCares
• Maximize teachable moments by following your child's charitable interests. The most successful family projects respond to an interest on the part of the child. Listen for clues about issues that concern your child. Watch the news together and ask for his/her opinion on current events. Find easy-to-read stories on social issues such as homelessness, hunger and aging to share during family meals.  FamilyCares
• Build self-esteem by creating caring memories to last a lifetime.  Use a scrapbook to keep photos of your caring projects, thank you notes, cute quotes from your children and your own responses to each project. This memory book will become a wonderful source of esteem development as your child grows older.  FamilyCares
• Keep the tone fun and rewarding.  Doing charity projects should be an experience your child remembers as uplifting and fun. Tell jokes, give compliments, and laugh often as you work together to help others. Children will remember the “mood” more than the labor.  FamilyCares
• Join forces with other families who want to volunteer together.  The more the merrier! Charity projects are even more fulfilling when you work on them with your family friends. FamilyCares
• Be a good example of caring behaviors.  Let your children see you volunteering. Talk about ways to help others with adults and in your children's presence. Avoid complaining about your volunteer work. Tell your kids how good it feels to care.  FamilyCares
• Remember caring is a process, not a product.  It is the thought that counts. Highlight your child's intentions and efforts in charity activities. Try to ignore those times when the final product is less than perfect. If necessary, you can repair the product secretly before delivering it.  FamilyCares
• Reinforce your child's compassion after each project.  Have an informal family meeting, perhaps over ice cream, to discuss the project, what you learned, what you felt, and what you will do next. Talking about the project will put words to the feelings and give the experience more power.  FamilyCares

Mays Family, Ministry Appreciation Party, April 2010

How to Plan a Volunteer Vacation in 6 Steps | Frommers.com

Ever thought about going on a vacation focused on volunteering? Whether you're looking to volunteer for an afternoon or for several weeks while on the road, organizations around the world are eager for your help. Don't know where to start? You can plan a successful volunteer vacation by following these six steps.

How to Plan a Volunteer Vacation in 6 Steps | Frommers.com

Vote now: How many SJN ministries are you a part of?

 How many SJN ministries are you involved in?

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Building the SJN community

Many of you are familiar with the Strategic Planning process that's been going on in the parish for the last year -- almost a year and a half now.  Well, we've begun to roll out what we plan to do to better our parish over the next five years and I've been put in charge of overseeing the community-building part!

The goals are:

• Events Committee: Plan events that strengthen the sense of community at SJN.
• Communications / Technology Committee: The committee will evaluate current efforts and identify the most effective ways to maintain communications with all parishioners and make use of existing and new technologies.
• Welcome / Hospitality Committee: This committee will welcome newcomers, build community among current members, reach out to disaffected members and ensure the sick and elderly feel welcome and connected at SJN.

If you have any ideas about these goals or want to participate on one of the committees, please let me know! I look forward to strengthening our community relationships and continuing to work together to build God's Kingdom here in Westlake.

April 17, 2010, SJN Ministry Appreciation "White Party" Committee

9 things to do at SJN this month

1. Follow A Willing Witness on Facebook
   
   If you're not already following A Willing Witness on Facebook, visit our Facebook page and "like" us!
   
   
2. Fill out the Application for Ministry in eAppsDB
   
    Step one of the Ethics and Integrity in Ministry Training, required by many of our ministry opportunities, is to complete the Application for Ministry in eAppsDB.  There aren't currently any July workshops in English for part two of the EIM Training, but you can fill this application out in the meantime.  Keep checking the Diocese of Austin's Web site for upcoming trainings.
   
   
3. Complete a Gifts and Talents Survey
   
   This is so we are well aware of the many gifts and talents of our parishioners and can inform you when there may be a special opportunity for ministry involvement.  We do invite certain people to participate in ministry from time to time, and having your survey will allow us to see which of those opportunities might be of interest to you.
   
   
4. Introduce yourself to Director of Young Adults, Communications and Ministries Jen Crowley
   
   Establishing a relationship with me will help me to be more intentional when advertising the various ministry opportunities of our parish.  If I know you personally and where your interests lie, I will be able to better my matching gifts and opportunities skills.  Plus, it helps to further solidify our parish community by building relationships.
   
   
5. Check out and support one of our newest ministries, the parish Gift Shop
   
   Open Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, this ministry exists to provide easily accessible and affordable religious items to our visitors and parishioners.
   
   
6. Spend time before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer
   
   The Eucharistic Adoration Ministry enables us to worship the Lord in adoration on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  While you're welcome to sign up to worship regularly on Wednesdays, feel free to drop in and say a mid-week hello to the Lord in our sanctuary!
   
   
7. Pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood
   
   Better yet, check out another new ministry, the Vocations Committee!  Their next meeting is July 15 at 7 p.m. in the church offices.  Their mission is to provide stimulus, resources and contacts for those interested in vocations to the priesthood.  If you can't join the committee at this time, please pray to St. John Vianney, patron saint of priests, for the Holy Spirit to guide them in their mission.
   
   
8. Pick up a home-cooked meal offered by the Mary and Martha Guild
   
   
9. If it’s too hot to cook, stop by the Morris Hall kitchen and select your evening’s meal -- home cooked without you having to cook!  Current offerings are King Ranch Chicken for $10, frozen cranberry salad for $6, tortilla soup for $6 and frozen apricot salad for $6   It’s easy as pie – make your selection and take it to the office and pay by check or cash between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.  
10. Your purchase will help support the 
11. Guild’s ministries!
    
    
12. Meet new Associate Pastor Fr. Adrian
    
    While it's not necessarily ministry-related, meeting our new associate pastor is an excellent thing to do in July!